Expert thought

In view of the restrictive 2018 Luhansk People’s Republic statute, it is not surprising that some groups declined to apply for registration, while others were refused. The result is that many religious communities find themselves outside the law…. the 48 Baptist Union congregations have had to cease their activity altogether.

Religious Studies

In the context of recent events in the Orthodox world, disputes over the boundaries of church institutions often arise between the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine accuses Russia of misappropriating the territory of the Kyiv Metropolis. In its turn, Moscow appeals to the fact that the ancient Kyiv Metropolis differs from the territory of modern Ukraine. RISU decided to clarify this topic, getting advice from historians. Based on this research, we prepared an infographic.

The first question that arises concerning Ukraine is this: with what right and based on which holy canons, does Russia today claim the ecclesiastical and administrative dependency of the Metropolis of Kyiv?

Calendar

Law enforcement in Crimea block the church of Kyiv Patriarchate

In Crimea, on the morning of August 31, Russian secret services blocked the church of St. Equal-to-the-Apostolic Princes Olga and Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate in Simferopol. Archbishop Klyment of Simferopol and Crimea of the UOC-KP reported it to Krym.Realii

According to the archbishop, he is not allowed into the temple.

“At 10am, the enforcement broke into the church, broke the premises of the first floor, the doors of the altar on the second floor were broken, access to the believers was blocked. No arguments that the territory of the first floor belongs to the administration of the diocese in accordance with the lease agreement, are heard. They show some court decision that oblige the Religious Center to evict from the premises, although the diocesan administration of the has not hosted the Religious Center for more than two years,” he said.

Director of the state-owned enterprise “National newspaper and magazine publishing house” Andriy Shchekun told Krym.Realii that the property of the Ukrainian church in Crimea has been spoiled.

"Locks are broken, the barbarians have broken into the temple, destroyed the altar, confiscated the icons,” Shchekun said.